This invention relates to an open wall storage assembly for use with unfinished walls and, in particular, a wall storage assembly for use in a wall region containing a plurality of vertical wall supports.
In present day home construction, large areas of interior walls are left unfinished, typically in the basement and garage areas, although work rooms and laundry areas may be similarly unfinished. The homeowner desirous of utilizing this wall area typically provides shelving affixed to the exposed or internal surface of the vertical supports, thus providing storage which protrudes into the room area. A similar result obtains when closed wall storage assemblies such as cabinetry, are also affixed. Since these areas are frequently located in regions where space is at a premium, for example, the area adjacent customary automobile parking in garage facilities and areas adjacent the location of laundry equipment, the inability of the homeowner to effectively utilize the regions between vertical wall supports results in already crowded areas becoming further confined.
While a variety of different shelving schemes and outwardly expandable cabinetry is available to promote storage in these areas, the homeowner is faced with a loss of room space especially where the cabinetry contains doors. Furthermore, the mounting of these storage assemblies on the relatively narrow face of the vertical support members utilized in house construction frequently requires the use of additional supporting structure underlying the assembly. This type of storage is characterized by the lack of utility of the region located within the wall between the vertical wall supports. In the construction of the typical house, it is common to find horizontal structural supports placed for fire break purposes and occasionally for structural rigidity between adjacent wall supports. If these members are present, the homeowner is reluctant to disturb them from both a structural and a fire retardant point of view. If these horizontal members are not present, the region between vertical supports and behind any such storage apparatus mounted on the narrow surfaces of the wall supports can act as a flue in the eventuality of fire along the base of the wall.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an open wall storage assembly for use with unfinished walls which is readily installable by the homeowner and effectively utilizes the region between adjacent vertical wall supports heretofore ignored in the construction of storage means. Furthermore, the invention is characterized by a large area integral member which is utilized in surrounding engagement with adjacent vertical members and has flange members on the opposing vertical ends for affixation to the vertical wall supports. In the present invention, the individual installer can place the transverse shelving members at locations to fit his particular needs. Thus, the invention is located in heretofore unused areas in the support wall so as not to reduce the usable regions within the building.